Official: Chevrolet will compete in 2012 IndyCar series with new V6 engine

Chevrolet’s presence in the 2012 IndyCar series has been confirmed, making many US motorsports fans in the US very excited. Chevrolet aims to be one of the biggest and most competitive engine suppliers for the 2012 season. And in line with this goal, it has signed Team Penske to apply its technologies.

For interested parties, Chevrolet will provide a new 2.4l V6 engine with an aluminum block and cylinder heads. Since the unit has yet to be developed, there aren't any other technical details to be divulged at this juncture.

The unit will be co-developed by General Motors and Ilmor Engineering. The last time that Cherolet had participated in the IndyCar series was in 2005. It was during this time that Toyota also withdrew from the series.

What this report points out is that the competition has grown ever fiercer, with Chevrolet having to compete against Honda. Tom Stephens, GM vice chairman, Global Product Operations, shared that the company’s vision is to “design, build and sell the world’s best vehicles.”

Stephens added that racing is one of the best methods to display what it can do. He asserted that re-entering IndyCar racing will aid in bringing its advanced engine technology to even new heights. He said that engineers will benefit from this “dynamic training ground”

"We are excited to have engine manufacturer competition again in the IZOD IndyCar Series, beginning in 2012," said Randy Bernard, CEO, INDYCAR. "Chevrolet brings a strong passion for racing, technology, relevance and innovation, which is a great fit for our new car platform. We are excited about the future of IndyCar racing with the addition of Chevrolet."